


Wasn´t Love, Blolndie

by mistymoonlight15



Category: Tangled (2010)
Genre: AU, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, F/M, Princess Rapunzel, slightly Dark Flynn, tangled
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-17 02:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4649340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistymoonlight15/pseuds/mistymoonlight15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Flynn wanted to steal the princess' crown, he never planned for the Princess herself to tag along. One thing is for certain; no one messes with Flynn Rider and he wasn't going to let this girl start now. He had to find a way to get rid of her, no matter the cost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Break Free

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This story is an AU, Featuring a slightly Dark!Flynn and a Not-So-Naive-Rapunzel; I plan to add some mature themes and play a little with our favorite characters in a way that would tell the story in a much more mature note. So, if fluff is what you're looking for, this is definitely not the story for you.
> 
> Hope you like it!

 

 

_Wanted to belong here_

_But something felt so wrong here_

_So I prayed_

_I could break away._

_~Breakaway_

* * *

"Rapunzel, dear, would you please stop daydreaming when I'm talking to you?"

Rapunzel started at her mother's slightly exasperated voice. Her eyes reluctantly settled over the Queen's elegant figure, her mouth quirked in a fond smile, although she appeared to be fighting her amusement to look a bit more stern if the slight frown on her brow was any indication.

She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. She had the habit of spacing out whenever something in particular held her interest, and her mother's boring droning wasn't doing anything to help her situation. What was she supposed to do when the bright colors of the flowers and chirping of the birds was far more interesting than whatever political matter her mother was babbling about? Of course, she wasn't about to tell her that.

"I'm not daydreaming, Mother. That would be  _most unladylike_." She did her best to imitate her etiquette tutor's snobby accent. Those same words had been spoken to her a thousand times, along with the usual stern remarks about her posture. She could almost hear Mrs. McLean's voice telling her she was slouching,  _again_.

Queen Anne pursed her lips against a smile. "Oh really? Then tell me, what was I just talking about?"

Rapunzel bit her lower lip, a guilty grin spreading on her face. Of course she hadn't been listening, she had been far more preoccupied with the exquisite blooming rosebuds and the fresh smell of pinewood the elegant palace gardens provided in the early afternoon, wondering which exact combination of colors would be best to capture the shade of amethyst in the blooming violets spreading over the grass in her canvass.

She tipped her head enough for her bonnet to hide her guilty smile. Holding her teacup with a display of impeccable manners her etiquette tutor would be proud of, she took a small sip of her tea, the warm liquid gliding through her throat was a pleasant distraction.

Her mother raised a questioning eyebrow, patiently waiting for her response. "Something or another about the Northern Kingdoms, perhaps?"

The Queen let out a defeated sigh. "Have you not been listening to absolutely anything I was just saying?" There was a slight edge to her voice that made Rapunzel's smile vanish. It was clear that her mother wasn't exactly looking forward to repeating everything she had just said and for some reason that made Rapunzel's stomach churn unpleasantly.

"As a matter of fact I  _was_  listening. I just got lost when you started mentioning the council." And it was true, the moment her mother started talking about the council's meeting she had deliberately averted her attention from the already boring conversation and instead focused on whatever else was remotely more interesting than a bunch of old bitter men discussing political situations.

It wasn't that she was completely uninterested about the treaties and alliances going on between her kingdom and the neighboring nations, it was more the fact that she was becoming the object behind those alliances what bothered her.

Apparently she had missed the important part of the conversation. Queen Anne took a deep breath, her lips pursing until they became a thin line. "I was saying that today's meeting with the council was a success. Lord Everard insisted on pursuing a stronger alliance with the Northern Isles."

Wasn't that exactly what she had just guessed? She couldn't understand why there would be a reason to repeat the whole conversation all over again. Was it really that important? And if it was, it couldn't possibly be anything good. Rapunzel busied herself nibbling at the buttercream cupcakes the maids had provided for their impromptu tea party, hoping her mother's conversation would turn out as boring as she had predicted.

"The Kingdom of Cygnus graciously invited us to meet their prince, King Horace's youngest son; Prince William."

Rapunzel bit back an exasperated groan. She should have known this was were the conversation was going. Instead of voicing her not-so-pleasant thoughts, she merely lifted her eyebrows inquiringly. "Oh?"

Her mother continued unfazed. "Unfortunately, your father and I are much too busy at the moment, and we have no intention to send you on your own, of course."

She couldn't help rolling her eyes this time. Of course they wouldn't, they didn't let her go  _anywhere_  on her own. She always had to be either accompanied by an escort or by the king and queen themselves. And they sure had never let her leave the kingdom for any circumstances. She supposed this was working on her advantage in this particular situation. She had no intentions of dealing with their excuse of political alliances all on her own. Rapunzel knew perfectly well what all this was about.

"That's why Lord Everard so conveniently suggested that we invite Prince William to spend a few days here in Corona."

Her short-lived relief instantly vanished. "What?" She exclaimed, aware of the hint of panic behind her slightly squeaky voice.

"King Horace has mentioned how much his youngest son would like to meet you, dear." Her mother smiled kindly, clearly missing or choosing to ignore Rapunzel's distress.

Rapunzel exhaled through her nose. "I bet he does." She muttered under her breath. Just like more than half the suitable bachelors and unmarried noble men in the surrounding kingdoms. They were all eager to meet the princess of Corona, only heir to the throne and promising young maiden. Just who were they trying to fool?

"Prince William is a respectable man, not much older than you, in fact." Her mother gave her a knowing look. The conspiratorial glint in her eyes was beginning to make her feel dizzy.

Rapunzel rose to her feet abruptly, accidentally rattling the fine porcelain tea set resting over the embroidered tablecloth.

"I'm not feeling well, Mother. It must be the afternoon sun, it's giving me a headache. If I may be excused..." She trailed off, already making a move to dart back towards the castle as fast as her legs would carry her.

However, her mother's voice stopped her in her tracks. "Rapunzel, you can't keep avoiding the subject forever, you know that?"

She knew that, of course she knew that. But that didn't mean she wasn't determined to try. "See you later, Mother." She replied curtly before heading towards the palace, her head held high as she walked without turning back towards her slightly baffled mother.

She didn't stop until she reached her bedchamber. Once she had locked the door, she walked over to her bed, slumping against the mattress with a defeated sigh. A cheerful chirping came from the corner of the room, and a little chameleon came creeping from the other side of the bed, stopping right next to her and resting his little head against her knee.

The corners of her mouth lifted in a small smile. "Hey, Pascal!" She cooed, scratching her finger against the smiling chameleon's head.

Pascal squeaked in reply. "I've missed you too." She giggled, wishing not for the first time that having a weird-looking lizard perched over her shoulder wasn't such an offending sight to the people in the palace. The bitter thought that not even her only real 'friend' in the world was allowed near her made her smile vanish, replaced by a gloomy scowl.

With a heavy sigh she stood up, taking her bonnet off her head and dumping it on the mattress behind her. She marched towards her vanity table, stopping to watch the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with an expression as hollow as her soul.

She was the picture of elegance and wealthiness, the perfect image of a rich girl, the proper noble lady she was raised to be. A princess through and through, born to be a queen. Her impossibly long golden locks were tied back in a combination of elegant plaits, forming one big braid cascading over her back and grazing her ankles. Her lavender gown was simple yet elegantly designed, sleeveless to accommodate her in the warm summer afternoons, but with fine embroidery over the bodice and a silk skirt long enough to barely show her feet. She wasn't very fond of jewelry, so she usually didn't wear much more than a simple golden necklace her parents had given her for her eighteenth birthday and a pair of little diamond earrings.

She had anything a girl would desire. So then why did she feel so miserable? A sudden urge to mess that perfect image overcame her, and soon she had her hands buried deep in her hair, her fingers carelessly disentangling the perfect braid her lady-in-waiting had so thoroughly tied that morning. Rapunzel's hair cascaded past her back, tumbling in a messy pile at her feet. She massaged her scalp, feeling strangely relieved as she kicked her slippers off her feet; she had always preferred to walk barefoot.

Her eyes swept over her vanity table looking for her hairbrush, but instead paused at the glinting sight of her tiara, resting gracefully over a purple velvet cushion. The shining diamonds blinking back at her seemed to be mocking her, reminding her of exactly who she was and what was her responsibility to her kingdom. The Crown Princess of Corona, who was still refusing to get married even though she should have announced an engagement a long time ago. Her betrothal was already a few years overdue, but she still refused to pick a husband. Something that seemed to be bothering the council to no end.

Sooner or later her parents would have to give in to the council's pressure, and announce her arranged marriage to the finest suitor they could find. She was beginning to suspect that was exactly the purpose of Prince William's spontaneous visit.

Pascal squeaked inquiringly from his spot on the mattress, looking over at her with a concerned frown on his reptilian features. Rapunzel smiled sadly. "I'm fine, Pascal. I just need some fresh air."

Making her way towards the floor-length windows on the side of the room, she opened the glass door leading to her balcony and stepped outside, letting the fresh breeze grace her face and sweep her hair. She took a deep breath and spread her arms, wishing the wind could carry her away to wherever it desired.

Her eyes roamed over the sight of the entire island at her feet, she could see anything from here, and she had to admit, the sight was beautiful. Her eyes lingered at the stone bridge leading towards the woods. That foreign destination she had never set foot on. Her parents didn't exactly keep her captive inside the palace's walls, they let her explore the village as long as she was always accompanied. But the bridge was off-limits, the woods the only thing she was under no circumstances allowed to explore. And despite her curious personality, she wasn't one to defy her parents' orders. So she had settled over the years with just admiring the vastness of the forest from afar, under the protection of her room. Freedom seemed so far away from over here.

She longed to explore the world, to run free through the canopy of trees enveloping the vast forest. To escape the palace's clutches and her parents' overprotective sight and finally allow herself to do whatever her heart desired. She longed for freedom, but that was the one thing she couldn't have.

As she gazed at the setting sun, the sky tainting with splashes of pink and purple hues, she smiled bitterly at herself. She was always waiting, but waiting for what, exactly? For her knight in shining armor? For her Prince Charming to come galloping on his white stallion and rescue her from her boring misery so they could both ride into the sunset together?

She snorted. Of course that wasn't going to happen. Rapunzel had learnt long ago that kind of stuff only happened on the fairy tales she had loved reading when she was younger. But she wasn't so naïve now. Her days of wishful thinking were long gone, disappearing with the wind along with her fading hope and a long list of dreams she once had believed could come true.

Like she could ever break free from her luxurious prison. Nevertheless she was somewhat content as long as she wasn't tied down. And that was a vow she made to herself as she gazed at the fading sun. They could keep her locked inside the palace, make her behave and act like the perfect princess she was supposed to be, but she was never going to subject to any man that came sauntering to claim her as his wife. She was a free spirit, she would never be tied down to any man she didn't love. Ever.

That was something she promised to herself, and she knew better than anyone that she never broke a promise.

She was ready to turn back and head inside when she saw a shadow moving out of the corner of her eye. She whirled around, her eyes darting back and forth across the balcony and its surroundings, but there was no hint of movement anywhere near. Rapunzel stood there for a moment longer, then shrugged and dismissed the thought. It probably was a bird that flew away just when she had been turning to leave.

With one last searching glance, she headed back inside her room, closing the glass door behind her with a dull thud. If she had stayed just a moment longer she would have been able to catch a glimpse of the shadow of a man climbing on the adjacent tower, right beside her balcony.

* * *

Flynn grunted as he pushed himself over the edge of the roof. He paused for a moment, panting as he tried to catch his breath, only to have it leave his lungs once more. As soon as he turned around he was mesmerized by the sight below him. The entire island of Corona and the vastness of the woods regarded him from bellow, the setting sun blinking back at him in the horizon, almost tempting him to race across the kingdom to catch the last rays of sunshine before they disappeared. It was sure a sight to behold.

"Woah, I could get used to a view like this." He muttered to himself, glad that no one could hear his almost breathless remark.

"Rider!"

Well, he sure could've enjoyed the view much better if he hadn't such undesired company. Not even bothering to turn around, he held up a hand, signaling the unpleasant man behind him to shut his mouth for a moment.

"Just a second. Yep, I'm used to it." He crossed his arms over his chest, a smug grin spreading over his face. "Guys I want a castle."

The idea hadn't crossed his mind until now, and he had mostly said it just to annoy his counterparts, but the thought of his own castle in an isolated island was quite appealing now that he thought about it.

"You get this crown, and then you get your castle." The burly redhead man muttered with a dark grin as he gestured over the edge of the building. Flynn rolled his eyes, heaving a dramatic sigh as he glimpsed towards the adjacent towers bellow. The job would have been so much easier if they hadn't changed the location of the goddamn crown in the first place.

The theft of the princess' crown would be the pinnacle of his thieving career. If they did this job right, his name would become legend for years to come; Flynn Rider, the best thief in the entire kingdom of Corona. They had planned this particular scheme for months, calculating every move, every secret passageway, every entrance and corner in the castle. The Stabbingtons had found a servant willing to act as their spy, giving them inside information about the location of the crown and the guards' patrolling shifts, even providing them with information of a few passages they could use to sneak into the palace undetected, all of this in exchange of a reasonable reward of course. One they were more than willing to pay. After all, the stolen crown would provide them with more money than they could have ever imagined to have.

Flynn grumbled to himself as he leapt over the rooftop towards the adjacent tower, his feet barely catching the edge of the windowsill protruding from the stone. They had had everything perfectly planned when the palace servant informed them of the unfortunate change of the crown's location, which had been conveniently moved from the throne room to none other than the Princess' bedchamber.

Flynn grunted once more, his hands scrapped against the hard stone as he slid from the tower's edge, getting closer and closer to his intended destination; the princess' balcony was already visible from where he dangled, his body precariously hanging from the stone bricks.

As he leapt across rooftops and slid through the rough tower's exterior, a hint of annoyance made its way to the pit of his stomach. If the spoiled little princess hadn't decided that she needed to admire more closely her precious crown, they wouldn't have had to change almost every aspect of their plan. Just another reminder of how much snob rich people annoyed him.

With one final graceful jump, he glided towards the balcony's marbled floor, landing in a crouch, his feet stealthily brushing the ground with not so much as a sound. Straightening, he brushed his hands against his pants, adjusting his satchel before marching towards the glass door that would lead him to the inside of the Princess' bedroom. If his sources were correct, the Princess would be enjoying a fine tea party with her mother on the other side of the palace for the whole afternoon. That would give him enough time to sneak into the room, take the crown and escape undetected. By the time someone realized the expensive tiara was missing, Flynn would be far enough away, on his merry way ready to finally leave Corona and his bitter memories behind. This crown would be his one-way ticket to his new life.

Now his only problem was to find a way to get rid of the Stabbington Brothers along the way. But that wouldn't be that difficult once he had what he wanted.

Flynn carefully opened the glass door, sighing softly in relief as it slid open without a single creak. He slipped inside, his footfalls soft and almost inaudible. Everything in his demeanor indicated his experienced years of thievery and mischief. This was only his last job, after this one he would finally be free. He couldn't fail.

The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the very last rays of sunshine penetrating through the floor-length windows. His eyes didn't even have to search the room to find what he was looking for.

There it was, resting in all its glory over a fluffy velvet pillow. The enormous gems glinting with the sunlight, almost too magnificent to be real. The Princess' Crown.

Flynn's legs seemed to be moving on their own accord as he carefully approached the vanity table where the crown rested, his hands already itching to touch it, the answer to all his problem, his passage to his dreams. Unfortunately, in his astonishment, he missed the shadow creeping stealthily behind him. Maybe if he hadn't been so absorbed by the crown's elegant beauty, he would've noticed the slightly alarming trail of golden locks of hair curling all over the floor.

But Flynn was too preoccupied studying the magnificent crown to notice every dangerous hint telling him that something was about to go awfully wrong. He stretched his hands, his fingers almost touching the gleaming diamonds, when a distinctly female voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!"

He froze. An uncomfortable chill spread all over his limbs, as if someone had just dropped ice-cold water on his back. Wincing slightly, he braced himself for what was about to come. He didn't go through all this trouble just to be stopped now! Oh, no. He was going to fight whoever stood on his way, he  _was_  going to steal that crown, whatever it took.

But this, oh  _this_  was definitely not part of the plan.

 


	2. Flynn Wanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flynn certainly never expected the Princess of Corona to frustrate his plans so blatantly. Now he'll have no choice but to deal with her presence whether he likes it or not.

_My mind is a warrior_

_My heart is a foreigner_

_My eyes are the color of red like the sunset._

_~ Grade 8_

* * *

Flynn felt his body go rigid as he slowly turned around, his hands raised in a fake innocent gesture, but ready to leap into action should the situation turn for the worse.

He wasn't expecting the sight that met his gaze at all.

He and the Stabbingtons had discussed the million possibilities of their plan going wrong, and had come up with quick easy solutions to whatever situation interfered with their scheme. Flynn was ready to fight off guards, knock out unsuspecting intruding servants and get rid of whatever came up his way that would in any way prevent him from stealing the crown.

He wasn't expecting, however, to meet the Princess of Corona herself.

Standing there, with the sunlight illuminating her soft features and making her long blonde hair gleam like gold, he couldn't help but notice her stunning beauty. Of course, he would've liked it better if her pretty face wasn't darkened by that deep frown and narrowed eyes. Her stance was defensive as she held a - was that a candleholder?- protectively over her head.

As soon as he turned around, her squinting eyes widened in recognition, a soft gasp escaping her mouth.

"Y-you're... Flynn Rider!" She exclaimed, her wide green eyes darting around the room as if she was looking for a route to escape. Or maybe she was just determining which object in her room would be more useful to defend herself other than the candleholder she still clutched tightly in her hand.

Flynn tried a cheeky smile, holding his hands up in a calming gesture as he took a tentative step forward. "Now, let's just calm down, okay Princess?"

"I-I know who you are, and I-I'm not afraid of you!"

The blonde's wide eyes narrowed as the frown settled back on her brow, replacing the startled look on her face. She still took a step back, holding the candleholder defensively in front of her.

"W-what are you doing here? What do you want?" Her voice trembled slightly, although he did notice the authoritative hint behind it. She tried to keep calm and maintain the firm look on her face, but he recognized that gleam of fear in her emerald eyes. He couldn't risk her panicking.

"Shh, it's okay. You just keep quiet, don't call the guards, and everything's going to go just fine." He tried to make his voice sound as soft and soothing as he could manage, but that didn't seem to calm down the startled princess.

"What do you want?" She demanded more firmly this time. Flynn fought the urge to roll his eyes. He really didn't have time to deal with this right now.

He took a step closer, and she instantly retreated a step back, her eyes widening slightly as she let a speck of apprehension slip past her mask of firm determination. He needed to calm her down before she started calling for the guards.

"Look, I'm not going to harm you if you just-"

"Don't come any closer or I'll...!" She exclaimed, holding the candleholder protectively before her with both hands.

Flynn smirked. "Or what? You'll use that candlestick against me?" He asked mockingly, nodding towards the princess' trembling hands.

Apparently that was a mistake. The princess' eyes narrowed once more, her lips pursing as her brows furrowed indignantly. "No. I'll just let the guards take care of you instead."

He didn't miss the threatening hint in her voice. He scowled as the princess took a daring step forward, still holding that damn candlestick as if it was her most lethal weapon. "Now, I'll ask again; what are you doing here?"

Flynn scoffed. "Well, isn't it obvious,  _Princess_?" He spit the last word out venomously. He didn't have time to spare, and this obnoxious girl was wasting a lot of it. "I'm a thief, what do you think I'm here for?"

For some reason, her hand instantly dropped to clutch a thick strand of golden hair tightly between her fingers. "And what are you planning to take,  _thief_?" She asked with equal contempt, although he didn't miss the spark of fear still hiding behind her bold stare.

Flynn took a step back, silently getting closer toward the vanity table where the precious crown rested. "Look, this can either be as easy or as hard as you make it." His hand searched behind him, his fingertips brushing the edge of the wooden furniture. "I'll just take that crown and leave as fast as I came. We'll never have to see each other again, and we can both forget this little incident ever happened."

The girl's green eyes darted towards the crown, now dangerously near Flynn's reach, and her stare hardened slightly. "I'm afraid that won't be. I can't let you take that crown." She stated firmly, clutching a thick strand of hair with one hand and the candleholder with the other.

Flynn let out an exasperated sigh. "And how are you planning to stop me?" He was so close,  _so close_ he could almost taste the victory, but no! The stupid princess just  _had_  to stand on his way. Well, he wasn't going to let her.

It was the princess' turn to smirk dangerously. "Like this!"

He barely had time to jump out of the way as the princes swung the candlestick directly towards his face. Flynn held out his hand protectively in front of him as the candlestick whooshed dangerously near where his nose would've been a few seconds ago. The princess raised her hand, ready to strike once more, and Flynn dropped into a crouch as she brought the candlestick down, missing again just by mere inches.

"Fine! If that's how you want it..." He muttered darkly, kicking his leg out and hooking it around the princess' exposed ankle, knocking her off balance as he tugged slightly.

The princess fell down with a yelp, and Flynn swiftly leapt to his feet once more, wasting no time to make his way toward the magnificent tiara.

"You can't take that crown!" She exclaimed as she clutched a thick strand of hair in between her fingers.

Flynn shot her an exasperated look over his shoulder. "Oh c'mon, you must have dozens of them! How is this going to make a difference?!"

He didn't notice the lock of hair curling tightly around his boot. "That crown is special for me!" She tugged sharply at the strand of hair clutched in her fist, and Flynn gasped as he felt the floor disappear from beneath his feet.

He hit the ground with a pained grunt. Flynn's eyes widened slightly, a hint of surprise making its way into his stomach as he lifted himself, resting his weight over his forearms. He had to admit, he was more than quite impressed with this girl. Not anyone had the guts to actually put up a fight against him. But the situation was quickly spiraling out of his control and that was something he couldn't have.

He decided to try his ultimate weapon, the situation was clearly asking for it.

A charming grin made its way into Flynn's features. "You know, I actually like a good fight, and you are quite determined, I'll give you that." He made sure his voice came out husky and flirty enough, his grin turning into a seductive smirk as he regarded the princess carefully. She seemed bewildered by his sudden change of attitude.

"You've definitely gained my..." He wouldn't say respect, of course. "admiration, Princess." His winning smirk widened at the princess' obvious astonishment.

But her surprise didn't last long, and soon her eyes narrowed again. "Well, you haven't gained mine, funnily enough." With another sharp tug at the strand of hair still curled around his boot, she dragged him a few feet across the floor, bringing him farther away from his intended destination.

The princess quickly jumped to her feet, stepping over his body as she marched toward her vanity table in an attempt to reach the crown first.

A surge of annoyance burbled inside him. Okay, enough was enough. "Oh no, you don't." He barely had time to think about it, his hand searched the floor for whatever object would come in handy, when his fingers brushed over the silky strands of hair littering the ground. He noticed the golden locks conveniently curling near the princess' bare feet, and he gave a sharp tug.

She stumbled over her own feet as she tripped with the loose golden locks curling around her. The princess fell down with a startled yelp, hitting the side of her head against the corner of the table on her way down.

"Damn!" Flynn winced. The princess' still body laid in a crumpled state next to the vanity table, her golden hair curling around her like an ethereal halo.

He crawled over to her, quickly examining her for any outstanding injury. It would be easy to imagine she was asleep now that her soft features appeared so peaceful compared to a few minutes ago.

"Princess?" Flynn nudged her a bit more sharply than absolutely necessary. The blonde's hair lolled to the side, clearly indicating her state of unconsciousness. "Princess!" He prodded at her a bit more insistently, only getting a faint groan in response.

He heaved an exasperated sigh. He was wasting too much time. He stood once more, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he regarded the princess' unconscious body. He could very well leave her there, take the crown and escape as fast as his legs would carry him, but he couldn't risk her waking up. He was sure if she did, this time she wouldn't hesitate to call the guards.

His eyes swept over the neatly organized room, looking for something to help him bind the princess. Ideally he would look for a rope, but his eyes instantly caught the gleaming impossibly long strands of hair. He only had a moment to marvel at the ridiculous length the princess apparently liked to keep her hair, before he jumped into action. Gathering the loose locks of hair, he quickly tied them around the princess' limp body, binding her tightly from shoulders to feet. He looked across the room, spotting a handkerchief over the nightstand that he gladly used to gag the girl before him. Now, she wouldn't cause any more trouble.

Grumbling under his breath, he rose to his feet, ready to take the crown once and for all. However, before he could even take two steps forward, he felt a disturbingly sticky thing burying in his ear.

"Gah!" Flynn yelped, jumping in surprise before whirling around to look for his mysterious attacker. "What the...?" His eyes stumbled over a peculiar looking lizard perched on his left shoulder. If he didn't know any better he'd swear the weird frog was glaring at him.

"Get off me!" He muttered crossly, carelessly brushing the squeaking frog off with a flick of his hand. Could this situation get any more bizarre?

He rapidly crossed the room with two long steps, not wasting any more time to admire the crown as he swiftly tucked it inside his satchel. The sense of victory was clearly overshadowed by the feeling of apprehension trickling over him.

Along the many things that had gone wrong with the plan, there was one mistake he couldn't ignore. They were supposed to leave no witnesses behind. It was crucial for their succeed that no one recognized them until they were far enough away to leave the kingdom safely. He already had a long list of crimes tainting his name, the theft of the Princess' crown would only put an even more bountiful reward on his head. He had to escape Corona before the entire kingdom found out about his linking to the theft of the crown, otherwise no one would grant him passage outside the kingdom with a prize like that hanging over his head.

He pursed his lips in annoyance as he carefully regarded the princess' limp body. The Stabbingtons would have no problem with getting rid of any witnesses, murder wasn't a crime they were unfamiliar with. But Flynn couldn't damn well get rid of the princess, now could he? Of all the people that had to cross his way, why would it have to be this girl?!

When the princess woke up, she would waste no time in telling who exactly had stolen the crown and knocked her unconscious in the process. He couldn't afford that, he had to escape the kingdom before the guards found out.

Flynn cursed under his breath, his hands burying in his hair as he considered his options. He had no more time to spare.

"Dammit!" He grunted as he leaned over the princess' limp form, lifting her up with one agile movement and placing her over his shoulder. He would surely regret this later, but he didn't have time to think over his actions right now.

In his haste, he failed to notice the weird reptilian crawling onto the blonde's body, securing himself with a thin strand of golden hair over the unconscious princess' shoulder.

Silently cursing his luck, Flynn crossed the room with swift stealthy footsteps, his arm tightly curled over the princess' waist. Her petite, lean body wasn't heavy enough to put a strain on him, but carrying her over his shoulder would definitely slow him down. This was  _so_  not part of the plan!

He pushed the glass door open, quickly sliding out into the balcony and successfully exiting the princess' bedchamber somewhat unnoticed. He wished he wasn't carrying the only witness to his crime with him. He made his way to the edge of the balcony, where a rope was already awaiting him, tied securely onto the short marbled column supporting the balcony's balustrade. The Stabbingtons were surely already waiting for him below. And they certainly wouldn't be happy about his delay.

He tried the rope, tugging at it firmly to make sure it wouldn't untie with his added weight. When he was sure it was safe, he carefully climbed over the balustrade, his left arm tightening securely around the princess' thin waist while his right hand clutched the rope firmly. He quickly made his way down, the rope burning the skin of his hand as he swiftly slid over the palace's stone walls. His feet safely hit the ground after what felt like ages to him.

Flynn barely had time to heave a relived sigh before a familiar voice was hissing angrily behind him.

"What the hell took you so long?!" One of the twins muttered angrily, his narrowed eyes widening as he noticed the unconscious body accompanying him.

"What the  _fuck_ , Rider!" The redheaded man hissed dangerously, taking a menacing step towards Flynn. "This was  _not_  part of the plan!"

"Well I wasn't exactly planning for this to happen, but she recognized me!" Flynn rolled his eyes, already making a move to leave. However, the twin with the eyepatch blocked his way. "You did say not to leave any witnesses."

"But we never agreed to kidnap the princess!"

Flynn scowled. "And if we don't get going, the only thing we'll accomplish is to get ourselves arrested." He grumbled, nodding his head impatiently toward the hidden entrance where they had slipped in. "Let's go!"

He didn't wait for their approval before darting toward the exit, the dead weight of the princess' limp body over his shoulder was already slowing him down considerably. He mentally kicked himself. How worse could this situation get?

* * *

In hindsight, kidnapping the princess had given him the perfect excuse he didn't know he needed to get rid of the Stabbington brothers.

By the time they had reached the Fountain Square near the docks, he'd already had enough of the princess' limp weight. The streets were already mostly empty as nighttime approached. The faint light the twilight provided casted prominent shadows in which it was easy to disappear and remain unnoticed. They darted across empty alleyways and deserted shortcuts, thankfully hidden by the shadows as dusk rapidly fell over the kingdom.

Flynn had suggested they got horses to travel through the woods more quickly - the royal guards wouldn't take long to notice the princess and the crown had gone missing, and he couldn't exactly carry the princess all the way through the woods on his own- they didn't have much time left. He volunteered to be the one to steal the horses from an old, rickety stable next to the butcher's shop. Yep, he was going to steal a horse alright. And then he was going to leave the twins of terror behind.

Of course, the Stabbingtons hadn't trusted him enough to let him leave without the guarantee that he would come back, and since he couldn't exactly steal a horse while carrying the princess' body over his shoulder, he had left her behind with the twins. They were more interested in selling the crown, and both were still rather adamant about the whole kidnapping of the princess of Corona. He knew they wouldn't leave without the crown, even if the princess was a much more valuable piece. They wouldn't risk getting caught with theprincess' unconscious body while trying to escape.

But that was his thing, stealthiness was his speciality, and he had already gone too far to retreat now. Even if the princess' added company was something he'd rather not have.

He slipped out of the stable as silently as possible, tugging at the horse's reins to make the animal walk obediently beside him. Before he turned the corner, he left the brown horse behind, hidden out of view as he kept walking towards the Stabbingtons' hiding spot. He found them just where he'd left them, the princess' limp form resting over the ground before their feet, still bound by the hair he had carefully tied around her body. He smirked triumphantly.

"Well, let's go. I got the horses waiting for us just around the corner." He easily lifted the blonde over his shoulder once more, nodding impatiently towards the spot where he'd left the single stolen horse. The Stabbingtons shared a skeptical look, their arms crossed menacingly over their chests, but they followed him nonetheless. He was careful to keep a reasonable distance between him and the burly twins.

He rounded the corner before they caught up with him, and quickly hefted the princess' body over the horse's saddle before climbing behind her, securing an arm tightly over her waist as he took the reins with his free hand.

A cocky smirk settled on his lips as he saw the Stabbingtons rounding the corner, their eyes instantly narrowing at the sight before them.

"That's just one horse, pretty boy." One of the twins muttered darkly, his hand fingering the sword secured over his back. "Where are the others?"

Flynn's arrogant smirk widened as he tugged at the reins. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was only able to steal this one." Digging the heels of his boots against the horse's side, he snapped at the reins, making the animal break into a gallop.

"Guess you'll have to walk!" He called mockingly over his shoulder, a swell of satisfaction settling deep inside him as he reveled in the twins' flabbergasted faces.

"RIDER!"

He sniggered as he lead the horse towards the stone bridge that would lead him to the woods. He was so close to freedom, so close to finally fulfilling his dream. No one would stop him now.

His smirk vanished as he glanced down. Of course, he'd have to find a way to get rid of the intruding princess along the way.

He managed to cross the stone bridge partially unnoticed. He was aware of the few sailors and fishermen lingering along the docks that had surely spotted him, but with the dusk's faint light, it would be hard to recognize him.

However, as fate would have it, his luck wouldn't last much longer. He'd barely managed to slip into the canopy of trees that spread across the vast forest when he heard the distinct sound of galloping hooves hitting the ground and the guards' urgent cries. His time had run out.

"Stop, on behalf of the King!"

Pfft, as if! He snapped at the reins, urging the horse to go faster as he heard the approaching guards. He was glad the shadows the trees provided enveloped them in an almost total darkness. They wouldn't be able to recognize him like this.

He heard the telltale whooshing sound, and soon a pair of arrows dug into a tree dangerously close to him. But he wasn't deterred by the threat. He knew they wouldn't risk shooting directly at him for fear of harming the princess traveling with him. Nope, their threats wouldn't discourage him.

He was glad to notice the guards were falling behind as he rode the horse through denser territory, the prominent branches and tree roots sprouting out from the brushwood-covered ground made it difficult to maneuver, but Flynn was determined to lose them.

However, to his dismay, he suddenly noticed the princess' body tightly held under his arm shifting back to consciousness. He cursed under his breath as he took another sharp turn to the left, riding the horse blindly through the dense forest.

"Hmm...?" The princess mumbled incoherently, her eyes slowly drifting open and blinking several times in confusion. When her hazy stare focused on him, her eyes widened in shock.

"Mmph!" Her startled voice came out muffled by the gag she still had around her mouth. Flynn rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You know, you've already interfered enough. I'd really appreciate it if you stopped squirming!"

The princess was either too panicked to pay attention or chose to ignore him. She tried kicking her legs out of her tightly bounded hair, all while screaming through her gag.

Flynn scowled; he really wasn't in the mood to deal with the princess while trying to escape the guards at the same time. He tightened his arm around her waist as she struggled to free herself from his firm grip.

"Hmmph!" She screamed desperately, her fake bravado was now replaced by a panicked wide-eyed stare as she struggled to break free.

"Would you stop that?" Flynn snapped, his hand tightly clutching the horse's reins while he struggled with maneuvering the horse through the dense woods. "You'll just manage to throw yourself off the horse, and believe me, that won't be pretty."

The princess frowned indignantly, her offended glare indicating him that she wasn't enjoying this situation either.

Well, neither was him, to be honest.

He chanced a glance over his shoulder, relieved to notice only three guards remained chasing behind him.

His satisfied smirk vanished as he recognized the Captain of the Guards leading the small group, his incredibly stubborn horse keeping up with Flynn's attempts at loosing them through the woods.

"W-what are you doing?! Help!" His head snapped back down to the struggling princess, who had managed to get free of the gag that now hung loosely around her neck. "HEEELP!"

Why, wasn't this just great? Just what he needed; a screaming princess. He groaned exasperatedly.

"Let me go!" The princess demanded, squirming against his grip even more insistently than before.

Flynn's lips pursed in annoyance as he directed the horse to jump through a pair of intertwined tree trunks, managing to lose two of the remaining guards in the process. Unfortunately for him, the Captain's horse was doing a great job at keeping up with him. He needed to get rid of the Captian, and fast.

"Stop right where you are!" The Captian barked as he shot another arrow that landed disturbingly close to him. The princess yelped loudly as he gave another sharp turn in an attempt to lose his pursuer.

"Let me go!" Flynn shot her an annoyed glare, snapping at the reins and urging the horse to go faster. "Help me!"

The idea of just tossing the girl off the horse for the Captain to rescue was a tempting one. But no, he needed a better plan.

"Shut up!" Flynn hissed, his patience was really running thin, and the princess' squirming and loud screams where quite distracting to say the least.

He needed to think. What to do, what to do, what to do...? His eyes regarded the princess' long strands of hair thoughtfully. He glanced over his shoulder once more, noticing with satisfaction that the Captain was still far behind, but not far enough for his comfort. His eyes shot back to the struggling princess.

He shrugged. Well, it was worth the try.

With quick, agile fingers he disentangled the tight knot he had tied the princess' hair into, managing to loosen the locks curled tightly around the girl's body.

The princess' eyes widened in surprise. Flynn frowned slightly.

"Don't even think about it." He warned as he recognized the gleam of hope illuminating her wide stare. "If you try to escape now, you'll only fall off the horse, and I assure you, that would be quite a painful experience."

The princess scowled indignantly. He ignored her reproachful glare as he took a thick strand of hair, clutching it tightly in his fist. He looked around carefully, determining which thick branch would be sturdy enough. Pulling lightly at the reins, he slowed the horse's pace down as he threw the golden locks, the thick strands catching and curling around a branch dangling near them.

"W-what are you doing?!"

"Hush." Flynn grunted as he pulled at the lock of hair clutched tightly in his fist. The princess surely wouldn't like it if he told her that her hair was an incredibly useful replacement for a rope. The branch tied to the golden hair strained back with the force, tensing until it wouldn't go back further without breaking.

He waited for the precise moment, until the Captain and his horse were close enough. Just as the Captian was getting dangerously close, his body galloping right in front of the branch, Flynn let go. The branch snapped back into place, smacking the Captain of the Guards right across the face in the process, knocking him off his horse. Just like Flynn had predicted.

"Ha!" He cheered victoriously, while snapping at the horse's reins, making the animal break into a fast gallop once more.

"Hey!" The princess was definitely not happy by the outcome of the situation. "That was incredibly rude, something could've have happened to him! What if he's injured?"

Flynn rolled his eyes. "One less guard to worry about, then."

"Let me go!" The princess scowled, her mouth pursing into a thin line.

Flynn glared back. "Nope."

A furious neigh made him turn his attention back. The Captian's white stallion was still stubbornly following him. Flynn let out an angry sigh. That damned horse was as stubborn and annoying as his rider.

"Look out!" The princess gasped loudly, a terrified look settling on her face. He squinted in the dark, trying to make out what exactly had startled her so much. The sight that met him made his heart leap to his throat.

"Whoa!" He pulled at the reins with both hands, willing the horse to stop completely before they toppled over the precipice they were dangerously approaching.

The horse came to an abrupt halt, stopping just before the edge of the cliff. Unfortunately, in his desperate attempt to pull at the reins, Flynn disregarded his tight hold on the princess.

Due to the forceful stop, - and her inability to hold onto something with her hair still curling loosely around her - the princess went flying off the horse. Her terrified scream seemed to echo all around the woods.

"Aaaaah!" Time seemed to stop as he watched as if in slow motion, helpless to do anything as her body leapt over the edge of the precipice, her hair coming undone and fluttering in the wind. He only had a glimpse of her terrified face, before she disappeared out of sight.

Flynn bit his bottom lip anxiously. This wasn't exactly his idea of getting rid of the princess. Hopping off the horse in one swift motion, he raced forward to look over the cliff's edge. He was acutely aware of the furious stallion still determined to catch him as soon as he got the chance, but for now, he had more important matters to attend.

"HEEELP!" He didn't know whether to be relieved or worried by her terrified cry. He chanced a look down, sighing in relief as he caught a glimpse of her body dangling from a fallen tree trunk, her hands clutched tightly around a rather thin branch. "Please, someone help me!"

Well, wasn't this convenient? Just when he thought this situation couldn't possibly get worse, the princess gladly proved him wrong.

Flynn jumped forward, his agile feet landing stealthily over the sturdy tree trunk. He barely had time to take a step forward when that annoying furious neigh interrupted his concentration.

He glanced back over his shoulder, only to be met by the white horse's furious gaze, getting ready to jump right behind him.

"Goddammit!" Flynn grunted. Was the crown really worth all this trouble?He crouched slightly, carefully balancing his body as he cautiously approached the princess' dangling body. Her wide terrified eyes met his, and a disturbing gleam darkened her gaze.

"Get away from me! Don't get any closer!" She cried out, her arms trembling with the effort of holding herself up.

Flynn scoffed. "You're really not in a position to get demanding, Princess."

The princess glared despite her obvious terror. "This is all your fault! Don't get near me!"

The tree trunk trembled dangerously. Flynn looked back, and to his utter dismay, the white horse had successfully landed over the trunk, already approaching the pair as the wood creaked and groaned with the added weight.

Flynn knelt carefully, holding onto the trunk tightly with one hand while extending his other arm for the princess to take.

"Look, I'm only trying to help here." He waved his hand impatiently. The approaching horse's hooves made the wood crunch disturbingly. "You don't have much of a choice, so just take my hand."

The princess hesitated for a moment, before extending a trembling hand toward him. Flynn stretched his body, reaching for the princess' outstretched arm as he looked over his shoulder; the white stallion was way too close for his liking.

His fingers brushed hers, and just when he thought he could close his hand around hers, the tree trunk crunched loudly, trembling under their weight with a telltale groan.

"Uh-oh..." Their eyes met, hers wide and panicked and his narrowing with a grimace.

The trunk gave out underneath them, and they fell with a terrified scream.

* * *

Flynn felt the air leave his lungs as his body hit the ground painfully. The fall had surely seemed longer than it must have actually been, but to him it felt like ages before he had landed face down into the dirt below.

He slowly turned himself with a pained groan. That would certainly leave a nasty bruise. He didn't have much time to recover when he suddenly remembered the source of all his problems.

"Princess?" He leapt to his feet with one swift jump, looking around for the distinct pile of golden locks.

Sure enough, he spotted the long strands of hair a few feet away, already moving quickly farther away from him. The princess should be close enough.

He followed the moving locks until he found her, trying to gather the loose strands of hair into her arms while walking quickly in an attempt to escape before he noticed she was gone.

He frowned, moving swiftly behind her and closing the gap between them, his hand closing around her mouth, muffling her startled cry.

"Where do you think you're going?" He muttered in her ear as she struggled against his tight grip.

His eyes swept over the dark forest, searching for the crazy horse. He didn't have time to look for it, but he knew it would be circling around the area looking for them. He had to get out of here.

Dragging the struggling princess with him, he quickly hid behind a big boulder as he heard the distinct sound of hooves and that furious neigh. How could he possibly get rid of that annoying horse?

"Hmmph!" The princess cried, her voice muffled behind his hand. He shot her an annoyed look.

"Would you shu- ouch!" He yelped, snatching his hand back and rubbing it against his chest. "You bit me!"

"Well, you wouldn't let me go!" She exclaimed indignantly, still struggling against the arm holding her tightly against his chest. Flynn rolled his eyes.

"I didn't go through all this trouble just to let you go now." His free hand searched the vine-covered boulder behind them, trying to rest his body against it only to have it almost fall back into what seemed like a hole in the rock.

He gasped, looking back and snatched open the curtain of vine, revealing what seemed like a dark cave hidden on the other side. He smirked triumphantly; this was  _just_  what he needed.

The furious neigh grew closer, and he didn't waste more time before he dragged the still squirming princess with him, crossing the vine curtain as they were engulfed into the darkness of the cave.

"Where are you- mmph!" He closed his hand over the princess' mouth again, successfully muffling her voice as he leaned his back against the cave's wall. The crazy horse lingered behind the curtain of vine hiding them from view, and he waited with bated breath until the stallion's huffs faded in the distance.

The princess mumbled incoherently behind his hand, and he slowly removed it from her face, his arm loosening his grip around her waist.

"Where are we?" She asked skeptically, her eyes darting across the dark cave.

"Guess we are about to find out." He muttered distractedly as he lead her towards the faint light at the other side of the cave. The roaring sound of rushing water indicated there was probably a river nearby.

This time she didn't struggle much as he lead her across the cave, the rushing sound of water only getting louder as they approached the cave's mouth.

Flynn came to an abrupt halt as they exited the cave, his mouth hanging slightly open in surprise.

Of all the things he would have expected, a clearing in the middle of nowhere with an enormous tower constructed right beside a rushing waterfall wasn't one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Remember comments are very much appreciated :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Reviews and feedback are much appreciated, so let me know if you liked it ;)


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